H1N1 vaccinations

[tom]

Flu Pandemic : World Health Organisation ( WHO ) stressed : All nations will need access to vaccine, spread unstoppable.

Accordine to reports, Britain is gearing up to vaccinate its entire population against A(H1N1). 20,000,000 Britons are expected to get their shots by coming Christmas, with the remainder getting theirs by middle of 2010.  ( speedy and efficient ).

British Medical Association : We want to get cracking before we get a second wave which is more virulent. Latest research claimed that the H1N1 virus causes more lung damage than ordinary seasonal flu strains.

What about Singapore ? As reported : When such a vaccine becomes available, it will be sold at GP clinics and be available to the public. Anyone who wants the vaccine will be able to approach their doctor for it, when it becomes available.  Those who wish to be vaccinated will have to pay for it. Patients who have difficulty paying for the drug will be given the necessary assistance.

MOH is currently evaluating tender submissions to supply the vaccine, without revealing more details. 

[tom]

Race to produce H1N1 vaccine.

CHINA : The Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is testing the newly produced H1N1 vaccine on 1,600 volunteers.The test are expected to be completed by this September 2009.

United States : Planning trials on 2 vaccines. Volunteer will be 18 years of age or older. Two doses will be given 21 days apart. If all goes well, trials will commence with children.

Australia : Human vaccine trials began few days ago at Australia's Royal Adelaide Hospital. Some 240 adults and 400 children received the shot.

Singapore ? Still waiting ? 

[tom]

The Health Ministry expects the first batches of H1N1 vaccines to arrive in Singapore within three weeks, meaning second week of November 2009.

Singapore will get supplies in batches and Singaporeans going to Mecca will be the first group to be vacinated. Estimated to be 4000 of them.

Remaining supplies will be made available to the public through GP clinics.

This time round, nothing was mention about Hospitals, health care workers, small kids, expecting mothers, frail elders getting the initial jabs.
 

[tom]

Side-effects of the jab.

It was reported that there are likely side-effects from the H1N1 jab.

1. One in 10 patients may have flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue and muscle aches.

2. One in five may experience nausea and vomiting.

The side-effects are similar to the seasonal flu jab.

The listed side effects may be coincidental and not directly caused by the vaccine.

The Health Ministry said, " if there is an unusually high number of known side effects, they may issue advisories to alert the public on who's more at risk and may then even limit the use of the vaccines.